MAJOR GENERAL BENJAMIN F. BUTLER - AUTOGRAPH 02/10/1887 CO-SIGNED BY: GEORGE WASHINGTON PRESCOTT, GEORGE C. HIGGINS, MAJOR ISAAC H. STEARNS, ELIZABETH EMERSON BRADBURY STEARNS - HFSID 33571

MASSACHUSETTS IN THE CIVIL WAR: GENERAL BENJAMIN F. BUTLER, ISAAC H. STEARNS, GEORGE C. HIGGINS, GEORGE WASHINGTON PRESCOTT and ELIZABETH EMERSON BRADBURY STEARN
Album leaf signed by three Massachusetts soldiers from the American Civil War: General Benjamin F. Butler, surgeon Isaac H. Stearns and George Higgins
Album leaf signed "Benj F Butler/Feb 10 1887/Mass", "George Washington Prescott/Late U S Consul esident of/Ceylon 1868" and, on verso, "Geo. C. Higgins/Co. D. 8th Reg't. Mass. Vol. Inf./Mayor of Lynn. Mass. A.D. 1888.", "Isaac h. Stearns M.D./Surgeon 22 Reg. Mass. Inft./Surg. N. Soldiers Home Togus/Maine- and at Milwaukee Wis./and Examing [sic] Surgeon for/pensions. Lynn Mass. Feb. 14.1895." and "Passed away Sep. 6th 1892/Elizabeth Emerson Bradbury Stearns, born/in Westminster Mass. Aug. 18, 1826/That life is long which answers lifes [sic]/great end./March 29th 1898." in black and green inks. 6¼x7¾ album leaf with rounded right corners. With a 2¼x1½ article on Isaac H. Stearn's song Meet You On That Other Side affixed in lower left corner on verso. A well-known lawyer and political leader and a Brigadier General of the Massachusetts militia, BUTLER (1818-1893) entered the Civil War in a dramatic way. Leading the 8th Massachusetts, he broke the blockade of Washington five days after the bombardment of Ft. Sumter. President Abraham Lincoln rewarded him with an appointment as the first volunteer Major General. Butler was appointed Military Governor of New Orleans in May of 1862, but he served only until December, earning the sobriquet "Beast Butler" from angry Southerners. He returned to combat duty with command of the Army of the James in 1863. He proved to be inept against General P.G.T. Beauregard at the Battle at Bermuda Hundred (May 16, 1864), and Grant sent him to New York. Butler resigned his commission in January of 1865. He was a member of the House of Representatives (1867-1875, 1877-1879), where he played a prominent part in the impeachment of President Andrew Johnson. He changed political parties several times, and was elected Massachusetts' Democratic Governor (1882-1884). In 1884, Butler, who advocated an eight-hour workday, ran unsuccessfully for president on an anti-monopoly platform. STEARNS (1825-1897) entered the U. S. Army on July 10, 1862 and served until Oct. 17, 1864. He was Assistant Surgeon with the 3rd Michigan Infantry, the 38th New York Infantry and, finally, the 22nd Massachusetts Infantry before being promoted to Surgeon on Aug. 28, 1863.Stearns participated in numerous battles during the American Civil War, including Second Bull Run (Aug. 28 to 30, 1862), Fredericksburg (Dec. 11 to 15, 1862), Chancellorsville (April 30 to May 6, 1863)and Gettysburg (July 1 to 3, 1863). He was later Surgeon of the National Soldier's Home in Togus, Maine and Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the early 1870s and a U. S. examining surgeon for pensions in Maine, Wisconsin and Massachusetts, as well as a U. S. pension attorney.He also wrote the lyrics to Meet Me On That Other Side, which was dedicated to war widows. Lightly toned, stained and creased. Butler's signature has bled lightly in places but is legible. Show-through touches both Stearns' signatures. Pinhole hear top edge, which touches Higgins' signature. Show-through from article touches Prescott's signature. Light tears at right edge. Lightly discolored at top and right edges. Light discoloration at right edge on verso. Neatly torn from album at left edge. Otherwise in fine condition.